O
ver the past several weeks, peaceful protesters have gathered not once, nor twice, but at least six times in various cities around Central Oregon, showing up to protest the death of George Floyd and other black individuals at the hands of police or private citizens.
Demonstrations like this are happening not just in big cities, but in small ones, like Bend, Redmond and Prineville, all over the United States. Largely, these protests crop up quickly, organized by young people who just feel called to do something. Bend’s first Black Lives Matter protest was organized by a 21-year-old and her friends in less than 24 hours, she told the Source last week. Young people are using their social networks to spread the word quickly, and with big turnouts.
Yet meanwhile, others have turned to social media and their own networks to spread a pernicious piece of misinformation that appears far more coordinated and detrimental to our communities.
In cities including Bend, local groups, including the Deschutes Republicans, have been using their platforms to spread the rumor that “busloads of out-of-towners,” sometimes identified as “antifa,” (short for anti-fascist) are coming into small towns to wreak havoc. In some locales, this fear-stoking misinformation has brought out heavily armed counter-protesters. In Prineville, a confrontation with counter-protesters at the end of an otherwise peaceful event included shouts of “get out of our town!” and “this is OUR town!” directed at locals. In some places, agitated groups, anxious about the arrival of “busloads of antifa” protesters, have had to be stood down by law enforcement.
An NBC News report Saturday boasted the headline, “In Klamath Falls, Oregon, victory declared over antifa, which never showed up,” followed by the sub-headline, “Towns from Washington state to Indiana have seen armed groups begin patrolling the streets after rumors spread on social media about an antifa invasion.”
This is a disturbing trend, but it’s become par for the course when attempting to discredit movements that seek change. Taking to social media and blaming outsiders can make it seem as if our community does not have the same problems and has no need to grapple with the issues that larger more metropolitan areas do. Much in the same way that some will say it’s the Californians moving into Oregon who are causing our housing affordability and homelessness problems, putting the blame on “the other” shifts the responsibility for reform.
If we believe it’s only out-of-towners who would dare to show up and protest about the value of black lives in Bend or Redmond or Prineville or Klamath Falls, then we can continue to say, “We don’t have a problem with race here,” and sweep things under the rug when the heat of this protest moment simmers.
Racism exists in Central Oregon, and it’s our very own teen children and sisters and brothers and aunts and uncles and cousins working to speak out against it by organizing these marches— not some scary perceived specter of a far-left activist group, which, according to an FBI report last week, has not had a hand in the violent elements of recent protests.
The local youth organizing local Black Lives Matter protests have not shown up armed. But in some cases, those who believed in a threat of “out of towners” did. This is a recipe for disaster.
There are those who want you to believe protesters are “outsiders” here to destroy “our” way of life. Don’t believe them. Instead, welcome this opportunity for community growth and change.
This article appears in Jun 10-17, 2020.
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Great photo Mr. Tandy!
It’s the oldest trope in the book. I heard the refrain of “outside agitators” ringing throughout the nation during my days protesting the Vietnam War. Deepest thanks to the young locals who organized these beautiful and astounding protests over the past few days. Keep it up; you have the community behind you.
The idea that anti-fascism is somehow this horrible evil thing now is kind of embarrassingly ignorant of a history we are remarkably obsessed with. Great article
They talk about the republicans stoking fear and yet that is exactly what they represent! I have lived here for a long time and at no time has there EVER been an incident of police brutality against blacks or ANYONE for that matter! Yet they think they somehow need a voice in electing the chief of police here? Give me a break!
Hey Kevin,
How would you know if there has or hasnt ever been an incident of police brutality? Do you really think they all get put on the record? I support the local police here and think they are great for the most part and all encounters Ive had with them, but this is not all about protesting police. This is about RACIAL REFORM! What do you think would have happened if last Saturday it was a black man pointing a gun at a blonde womens head? Yes that literally happened, a conservative white man pulled a gun out and pointed it at a black lives matter supporter- Who happened to be a blonde white woman. Do you think that would have gone over ok if it was a black man that did that? Of course not, he would have been sent to prison immediately! But this white man got off with a slap on the wrist and merely had his weapon taken away- more than likely for just a temporary period of time at that. Im not for fear mongering and Im not an extremist liberal, but you got to be kidding me if you think there hasnt been a double standard in this country. Its obvious, and thats what most these people are out there protesting for.
A little compassion and understanding for that will go a long ways in coming to terms with the bigger problem which is a countrywide issue. Its hard as white people for us to see these problems sometimes, I know Ive been very blind to it before. But people are speaking up because something needs to change, we need to listen with compassion so progress can happen.